A Little Thanks
by Rangerbaldwin
Summary: 2 part story. Jack and Sam think of each other over Thanksgiving.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Ficlet for Thanksgiving

Summary: Ficlet for Thanksgiving. Been workin' too much to write anything decent.

Time Frame: Right after Season 8's episode, "Sacrifices" (where Rya'c marries and Teal'c disagrees with Ishta). I know the original air date was earlier, I am just fudging the timeline a little bit.

Notes: Not beta-ed, just wanted to post and run. Sorry, betas!

Relationship: Jack and Sam–UST & Angst

Rating: PG

Archive: SJFic only, unless I put it somewhere myself.

A Little Thanks

By: Lynda Mayfield

November 26, 2004

Sam opened the door with an exaggerated sigh. The Thanksgiving holiday was over, and it had been a long one. She had flown to California to see her brother and his family, without Pete . . . he had to go to Denver to pack up some things, since they were now engaged and Sam wouldn't move far from the base. When Mark asked about their father, she told him he simply couldn't make it because of a stomach virus and that he sent well wishes. Her brother seemed to wonder at that but couldn't prove her wrong, either.

They all had a wonderful time reconnecting. Sam had forgotten the joy of being a kid, lately, but the shenanigans of her niece and nephew brought it all flooding back. There were games of chase in back yard, tickling sessions before dinner and stories before bed. The meal on the big day had been delicious, filling and for dessert there was chocolate pie with whipped cream.

After two days and a plane flight, Sam was home again. She already missed Nicky and Jordan, but had the digital pictures to remind her of the event. After exchanging e-mail addresses with Mark again–he always seemed to lose hers, and she wasn't good at keeping him updated–they both promised to keep in touch.

Sam made quick work of unpacking her clothing, pouring the dirty laundry directly into the washer and starting it. She went to raid the refrigerator for a quick snack and checked to see if she had any messages on her answering machine. There were none.

It had been a quiet weekend where work was concerned. No one had called her. Pete had kissed her goodbye before his trip. Daniel had plans with a girl he had seen a few times, Teal'c was staying on base and Cameron hadn't said much, other than Happy Thanksgiving. Thinking about it, even her cell phone never rang.

Sam settled in front of the TV with a bowl of Moose Tracks ice cream, flipping channels and trying to decide what to do tomorrow. It would be Sunday and Pete wasn't coming home until Tuesday. She set the remote down when she came across an episode of the Andy Griffith Show in color. It was the type of mindless viewing that would allow her to organize her thoughts.

The phone rang before Sam's fourth mouthful of ice cream. "Hello?"

"Hi, Carter," came the voice of a very awake and lively General O'Neill.

"Sir, hi. What is it?" Her blood raced at the sound of his voice. Maybe there was something one of the teams off world had brought back for her to work on.

"Did you have a good trip?"

What? That's it? No Carter-we-need-you-to-save-the-world-and-right-now? No Carter-can-you-look-at-this-thingamabob? Just how was your trip, huh? "It was fine, sir."

"Oh, okay. Good."

"Did you call me for something, sir?" Sam's mind had turned to other things. She had a fiancé, and it was wrong, she knew, to hope the general would want to join her in TV watching and ice cream eating, but she hoped, anyway.

"Just saying Happy Thanksgiving, Carter."

"That was two days ago, sir." Two days ago and she would have loved to spend time with him.

"I know! I'm a slacker with the holiday and birthday greetings. You know that."

He was right. "Yes, sir. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Goodnight, Carter."

"See you on Monday."

Sam put the remote phone back into the handset, picked up her ice cream and returned to watching TV. Leave it to General Jack O'Neill to put a little grin on her face by saying the simplest thing. No, he hadn't spouted poetry or exclamations of love. A simple happy holiday greeting was the reason for his call. She'd take what was offered and she was thankful for it.

The End


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Ficlet for Thanksgiving

Summary: Ficlet for Thanksgiving in which, Jack speaks to himself,  
quite frankly.

Time Frame: Right after Season 8's episode, "Sacrifices" (where  
Rya'c marries and Teal'c disagrees with Ishta). I know the original  
air date was earlier, I am just fudging the timeline a little bit.

Notes: This sort of stands alone on it's own but I would try to read A Little Thanks first if I could.

Never tried reading it second. The POV is a little wonky, I hope I did it right. Sorry if it drives

you crazy.

Relationship: Jack and Sam–UST & Angst  
Rating: PG

A Little Trip  
By: Lynda Mayfield

November 26, 2004

Jack paced his living room floor and threw the pillow he was holding  
back onto the sofa. He paced some more and picked it up again.  
Nope, this was not good. Nope. He should not be thinking about his  
Lt. Col., his engaged Lt. Col. whom he just hung up with.  
Boss of the base. Not CO anymore, but worse. Pretty much  
everyone's CO. Still off limits, Jack. Well, at least he had  
called her. At least he had said something. He didn't get that  
frog in his throat like when he first asked Kerry out. Kerry! What  
would he tell her?

Of course, he was just talking to Sam. Er, Carter. Sam Carter.  
His good friend and that's all. But is it all? Grrrr…

Like a good angel and a bad devil, his conscience spoke to him. I  
don't want to be alone, I am going over there. Call her first. No,  
don't call her, just go because if you call her, she'll put you off  
again, you'll agree with her, lose your nerve, and not go. Just go,  
Jack, go. Take a little trip.

Jack drove to Carter's house without further trepidation. He parked  
in her drive when he saw there were lights on. YES! With his  
jacket straightened, he knocked on the door.

The door opened and Sam said, "Sir, I, but we just spoke on the  
phone and –"

"Yes, Carter, you're right, and you will. See me Monday, that is.  
Can I come in?"

"Of course," she moved back.

He took a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen island and she  
joined him.

"So, I guess you're just here to say, Happy Thanksgiving' in  
person, now?"

Oh, she's a smarty, that one. Jack gave her a wiggle of his  
eyebrows, stared at his hands and then said, "Do you have any  
cake?" WHAT? Cake? Gee, that was brilliant. Okay, cake.

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't. I do have some ice cream."

"Moose tracks?"

"How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess." He gave her a smirk. NOT! Since that time at the  
barbecue when it was spotted in the freezer, well, who would keep  
anything in their freezer they didn't like?

"Right." She got the ice cream out, along with a bowl, scoop and  
spoon and set it all before him.

"Thanks, Carter." He dug in.

"So… you came over for ice cream?"

"Uhhh… essentially…apparently… yes." Smooth, Jack, smooth. "And to  
see how your trip went. How was it?"

"Okay, the ice cream you couldn't get over the phone, but the answer  
to that question, you could have. Admit it, sir."

"What? Admit what?"

"We all know."

Crap, she's on to me now, what to do? Lie! "Know what?

She peered into his eyes, daring him to deny what she might say…  
mixed with a tinge of regret, perhaps? "Any time you don't have  
weekend or holiday plans, you have come to either my house or  
Daniel's to hang out. Or even staying late to visit with Teal'c on base.

It's okay, we know you just want to be with  
friends."

Safe! Yet, why do I feel upset she didn't guess I just wanted to be  
with her? "I admit it. It's boring at my place, alone, quiet. I  
like to hang out with my friends."

Carter giggled. Mmm, he liked that giggle. "Care to watch some TV,  
sir?"

Only one way to deal with that question. Funny. "Why, yes, what's  
on?"

"Please, you don't really want an answer. I'll get you the remote."

Yes, TV watching with Samantha Carter. See, no harm. "Cool."

Jack sat at one end of the sofa, Sam at the other. Remote in hand,  
he flicked around, looking for comedy shows and passing the time,  
safely, with one of his junior officers. He'd only stay a couple  
hours, and then go home. And he'd see her Monday.

The End


End file.
